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Abstract

Lesions of the anterior pituitary gland which prevent the elaboration of the pituitary trophic hormones (adrenocorticotropin, thyrotropin and the gonadotropins) will produce hypothyroidism, hypoadrenocorticalism and hypogonadism, the syndrome of severe panhypopituitarism. This syndrome is rare. Ninety-five confirmed cases of severe panhypopituitarism have been collected from the world literature by Sheehan and Summers.1 In his monograph on extreme insufficiency of the adenohypophysis, Farquharson2 listed 92 cases collected from the world literature, of which 57 cases presented the typical syndrome.

The following lesions of the pituitary gland have been reported as causes of panhypopituitarism: postpartum necrosis, tumors and cysts, trauma, "spontaneous atrophy